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Monday, August 13, 2012

THE RAINBOW'S EDGE

"Is the sky really a different color or are the changes within you?"

Paul questioned me, shaking me out of a daydream. Then I remembered:

Once Upon A RainbowA few years ago during a quick mid morning thunder shower, Rob and I noticed a rainbow forming in the Northeast sky. Excitedly, we ran outside inhaling heat and humidity, rainwashed with freshness. Lingering sprinkles touched us as we waded through the soaked emerald grass.

This rainbow was a different shape? It was like a staple, with a flatter top, different from a "bow" shape. The colors were muted rather than flickering bright. The most notable hue was the pink area along the bottom edge of the configuration. How did we come to view a rainbow with "pink" in it? Where does the pink come from? Both Rob and I saw the table top rainbow with the pink band. We didn't even grab a camera. We just enjoyed the moment until the rainbow faded into mist as the sunlight moved away.

Fun With ColorI grabbed some paints and, without brushes, colored in a bit of emotion. I used tissues to "block in" the colors and added some swipes of rain. The "green sprinkles" perhaps suggest an evergreen tree canopy or who knows what. Rob thinks the green spots resemble kitty paw prints on a windshield. Picture done, no brushes to clean!

Reflecting, some years ago I wrote:

*TheRainbows EdgeIntuition, I sensed an inner nudge on my shoulder, and for unknown reasons, I walked to the front bay window where the drapes were drawn shut during the silver lightening rainstorm. I parted the curtains for a quick peek. I leaped up with joy. There was a wide, bright big-as-life rainbow in the sky. I turned quickly to sprint upstairs. Wildcat Chessie stared at me balefully from her perch on the dining room table, wondering what all the fuss was about. Her silent mint green eyes followed me.

The rainbow painted the sky like a giant prism. I could almost feel vibrations of the colors. I wondered what colors I would be? In the past. I would paint cool and aloof green-blue-purple. Recently I'd added much needed warmth to my life spectrum with red-orange-yellow rinsing my water color dreams and paintings.

I opened the window and breathed in the humidity of passing thunder, feeling the cool freshened breeze fan my chest. I watched the clouds and rain fade and recharge the rainbow three times against the backdrop of the bruised sky.

Flashing back in time, I viewed again my first rainbow in Richmond, Virginia. I sat up tall and watched it out of the back window of an ancient dark grey car. The rainbow burned bright in my four-year-old mind like a package of Life Savers candy. Lime green was my favorite color flavor. This rainbow was almost as bright as the candy logo itself, shimmering with vibrant light like a Claude Monet painted moment flung out against the sky.

Now from the open upstairs window, as I watched the rainbow and cloud parade, I thought about wonder and glory of the universe. Picturing my energy field, what colors was I radiating? I thought about the immense amount of qi (energy) required for painting, the thunderbolts and lightning experience that is the highest voltage I know (for now).

Tai Chi MomentsMy son, Rob, mentioned, "Tai Chi is more than exercise, it enters your whole life. As you progress in Tai Chi, it can help you see and feel differently, a new perspective." I remembered when Rob and I showed Tai Chi to a group of friends. Rob also demonstrated the baseball pitcher's wind up using brush knee left (the wind up) and push out right hand (the throw.) Later Rob added, "And they clapped for us!"

One day as I was unloading the dishwasher using a sweeping motion to lift plates up into the cupboard, "Mom, that's Tai Chi!"

Walking Through TimeLeaving no trace, I painted imaginary pictures in the rain-washed clouds. Tai Chi opens new dimensions in life painting. The storm broke, danced, cleared forming pastel strokes of light brushed with knowing fingertips. The sunset's soft grey was shot with palest blue and deep apricot, then deepening to rose-peach. As I watched, colors faded to silver-grey, a time-lapse memory in my moving picture mind. Brushes, colors, lightening and thunder were painting a Tai Chi panorama, creating a new vision with my life!

Resources:Walt Disney's Fantasia (1940), Various classical music pieces are set to colorful cartoons by Walt Disney's Visionary Artists.

The Pastorale, A Day in the Country, (Beethoven's 6th Symphony) segment brings in artists' visual images from The Greek Myths. Lively Centaurs, Fauns, Flying Horses, Unicorns and more frolic then brave a storm. After the rain everyone views Iris, spreading the rainbow across the sky. Sunset follows with Apollo driving his fiery chariot, a feast for eyes and ears.

The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron, points the way for creative thinking and expression.

About Me

Painting since childhood, animals and nature are my favorites. Later I added visions, dreams, and angels as subjects. Tai Chi practice and teaching completes the picture.
B.A.in Art and English, Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, honor graduate. Magazine covers, book illustration, custom paintings and prints paint vivid pictures.
Published E-Book Silver Butterfly, Create A Vision in 2008. Started Out of the Blue, visionary blog, in Sept 2010.